Gathering-machine.



F. S. BARNES.

GATHERING MACHINE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED APR. 23,'1906.

932,670. Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

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FERDINAND? s. BARNES, or LI'ND'ALE, 'rExAsAssiGNoa or ONE-HALE To RILEYc. MARcHnAN AND ONE-HALF TojJAirEs A. rHEnrORD, or LINnALE, TEXAS.

GA'riiEaiNG-MACHINE';

' Specification oflett'ers Patent'. Patenjebduggl, 1909'.

Application filed Apr123, `1908. Serial No. 428,710.

To all 'whom 'it 'muy concern:

Be it known that-L-FERDINAND-S;.BARNEs, citizen of the United States,residing at u Lindale, in the county yof Smith and. State; of Texas,have invented certain new anduseful` improvements in'Gathering-Machines, of which the following is a specifical My inventionrelates to new and `useful improvements in gathering machines and moreparticularly to niachines'designed to squares and otherY refuse whichmay have gather boll-weevils and other insects from.

' collectedon the plant.

Another feature resides inthe provision of means for throwing suchweevils and other insects as may fallupon the ground toV the center ofthe furrow and thus exposing them to the direct rays of the sun. y v

provide a device of the character described that will be durable andeiflcient, which will be simple and comparatively inexpensive toconstruct and one in which the several parts will not be likely to getout of working` order.

With the above and other objectsin view,

my invention has particular relation to certain novel features, anexample of which is described in the specification and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings,` wherein Figure 1 is a plan view ofmy device,Fig."` 2 is a side elevation witha portion of the side broken away so asto expose the bot-` the numeral 1 designates the'troughs whichV areintended to catch the insects, etc.,'which may be knocked from theplants.Ak These troughs are provided with runners 2 on either side andhave a bottom :3`of sheet iron` or other suitable material extending thefull length ofthe trough fand which. turns up in frontto the top of therunners. The sides and rear of the troughsarefalso lined withmetallic'lining. The inner runner of eachtrough `ismade somewhat lowerthan the outer in order that the troughs may on `eitlier side of therow.

-be practically level when in use. This difference in height ismadenecessary by reason of the fact that the earth near the row is usuallyridged up and higher than in the center ofthe furrow. i Y

' The inner lrunners are each provided at the top with flexible shieldsi of rubber or some similar material designed to extend over'the edgesof the troughs and to pass v These shields pass closely around the plantand are intended to prevent the weevils or insects' from falling betweenthe troughs. The rear `of eachtrough is also provided with a shield ofsome soft material to serve as a protection to the plants.

y Each trough is provided with guards G extending from the inner side ina diagl onally rearward direction to near the center of the troughs.These guards serve as supports `for the branches of the plants and thusprevent them from falling down into the y y 'troughs and sweeping outthecontents there- Finally the object of the invention is to of. Eachtrough is alsoprovided with a nieta-l brace 7 extending from the rear,under the bottom, to the front thereof. These braces `serve not only asbases for the inverted U -shaped supports 8 but are so 'shaped in: frontas to provide a suitable hitching place.

The supports 8 may be made of any desired height Aand are pivotallyfastened to thebracesf? by means of metal bolts. They are thus'movablyfastened so as to permit Yone trough to run ahead of the other inturningv around. `Each support is provided Vwith a number of holes 10intended to relceive cross-rods 11, upon either or each of which arevoluble many sided roller 12 may Y be placed.A The holes in thesesupports are vso located vthat the cross-rod and rollers may -be raisedor lowered to'suit either small or large plants. "upon one of thesupports.

A seat 13 is firmly fastened `At the -rear of each trough, cultivatorblades 14C are firmly fastened. These blades are iso shaped as to throwthe dirt outward from-the row toward the center of the furrow andtheinner blades are each followed by blades, similarly shaped, and solocated as to catch the dirt thrown out bythe inner blade and in turnthrow it out farther toward the center of the furrow. l Thesebladesservenot only to plow up and cultivate the soil but also to throwthe weevils vand insects which may have fallen' to' the ground to thecenter of the furrow thereby bringing them into the direct rays of the isun.

In operating this machine, it is intended that each trough shall travelalong the furrow allowing the growing cotton, or other plants, to passbetween the troughs. The front rod ll bends the plant down and as soonas it is released from this position, it strikes against the roller l2.This roller, having many sides, in turning agitates the Vplant andthereby shakes o the insects.

i This process is repeated by each succeeding rod and roller until theplant is eiectually relieved of all weevils and insects as well as thedead squares etc. v

The troughs .should be filled with water, oil or some other liquid so asto retain all the insects which may fall into them.

It is intended that a fine wire netting l5 be stretched closely over thetop and along cated at the inner side' of thetroughs,'andV lcultivating'devices attached to the rear of the troughs. Y

2. In a device of the character described, the combinationv withportable troughs havingA a passage-way there-between, of sup- Vnaine tothis specification in the ports pivotally mounted on said troughs, meansfor yieldably closing the passageway, and'agitating means located abovethe pas- 3. In a device of the character described,

the combination with portable troughs, of guards located within thetroughs, a guard located on the rear of each trough, outwardlydeliecting cultivators attached to the rear of the troughs, means forconnecting and maintaining the troughs in opposed relation, andagitators supported by the last named mean Y 4. In a device of thecharacter described, the combination with portable and connectedtroughs, of a longitudinal brace carried on the under side of eachtrough, guards located within said troughs, guards on the rear vends ofthe troughs, and agitators carried by the troughs.

5. In a device of the character described, portable troughs connected soas to provide a longitudinal space therebetween to receive grown cottonstalks, the troughs being arranged to travel, one on cach side of therow, agitators carried by the troughs over the space therebetweenarranged to engage the cotton stalks, and moans arranged at the rear endof the trough for moving fallen squares and boll weevils to each 'sideand away from the row. v

In testimony whereof I have signed in v presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

FERDINAND s. BARNES.

itnesses i F. M. BOYD, J. L. BRAZIEL.

